Gove blamed for entrenching Cabinet in First World War row

Tory colleagues accuse Education Secretary of marring Government plans to
celebrate Great War centenary by starting political row over blame for
conflict

The war was a 'just conflict' needed to combat aggression by Germany, which was intent on building a European empire, Mr Gove said, and only cynical undergraduates would think soldiers were foolish to fight.Photo: PA

Michael Gove has angered Conservative Cabinet colleagues by starting a political argument over whether Germany was to blame for the First World War, The Daily Telegraph has learnt.

The Education Secretary’s colleagues believe that Mr Gove’s spat with Labour is marring plans to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the start of the war.

Mr Gove should “get back in his box” and stay out of the debate over the war, a senior Conservative has said.

The minister this month launched an attack on the way the war is taught, and criticised television programmes such as Blackadder for their portrayal of the conflict. The war was a “just conflict” needed to combat aggression by Germany, which was intent on building a European empire, Mr Gove said, and only cynical undergraduates would think soldiers were foolish to fight.

The comments led to a row with Labour figures including Tristram Hunt, Mr Gove’s shadow, and Sir Tony Robinson, who played Baldrick in Blackadder.

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Mr Gove stoked the dispute on Sunday by describing Sir Tony as “wrong” and suggesting Labour had “denigrated the patriotism, honour and courage demonstrated by ordinary British soldiers”.

Conservatives including Boris Johnson have backed Mr Gove, but other Tories are understood to be unhappy at the Education Secretary’s conduct.

A government source said that Mr Gove should spend more time on his departmental brief instead of engaging in debates about history. The source said: “Michael should get back in his box. Maybe he has too much time on his hands. Perhaps he should be spending more time on free schools.”

Led by Maria Miller, the Culture Secretary, ministers from several departments have worked for months to cast this year’s programme of centenary events as a solemn commemoration and not a partisan celebration of Britain’s victory.

The Government has set aside £50 million to mark the event, with school trips to battlefields and ceremonies planned over four years. The argument risks “ruining” that work, the government source said, suggesting that Downing Street should have made Mr Gove “shut up”.

Plans set out by Ms Miller’s Department for Culture, Media and Sport remember soldiers from all nations and do not dwell on the causes of the conflict.

However, Downing Street on Monday backed Mr Gove over the causes of the war, insisting that Britain was right to respond to aggression and enter the war.

People should not be “afraid” of blaming German “aggression” for causing the war, Downing Street said.

The centenary is an opportunity to “commemorate the fallen, to learn about the impact the conflict had on our country and the world… and to reflect on the achievement of peace,” the Prime Minister’s spokesman said.

He added: “We can do that without being afraid of saying it was right for Britain to respond to aggression.”

Nick Clegg, the Deputy Prime Minister, said it was wrong to be “wagging the finger of blame” over the war. He said: “I don’t think anyone sensible is saying you should airbrush out history, of course not.

“It’s the question whether you think this is the occasion to start apportioning blame or wagging the finger of blame.

“I think most people want a slightly more sombre and sensible reflection about what wars on that scale mean.”